getting into welding at 33

admin

what are your thoughts about getting into welding at a late age, what would one expect different than someone getting into it at 18 or 20? elaborate perspectives are welcome and appreciated.
Reply:Hey mate I’m 19 I got into welding/fab work when I scored a boilermaker apprenticeship at 16 for me it has been a awesome journey love the fact that there is so much room to improve in the industry I’m sure you could do this till you retire and still be learning new things each day I would definitely recommend  it, it might be a bit harder to commit to doing some courses to get your foot in the door as bills don’t pay them self but it will be well worth it don’t be discourage about your age I go to tafe with a 1st year and he is 43Cigweld Transmig 265seBoc 140amp StickBoss 200amp AC/DC TIGLincoln Electric Invertec V260-S
Reply:33 is old? i started at 46. company i was with organized with pipefitters.  i took advantage of schooling and resources. have'nt looked back.  good luck old timer.wally
Reply:I started at 33.UA Local 598
Reply:Started at 35. Higher marks than those who where 19. More focused
Reply:I went back to trade school at 35.  Going to school with 18-20 year olds was entertaining.  I think I got more value from the $$$ I spent on welding school than many of the younger guys.  Being older and working in a trade, I think I got less crap than the younger guys.  Union/Non-Union doesn't matter.  Most folks assume that older co-workers are less prone to doing stupid things.  It was always the 18 year olds doing idiotic stuff like playing with fire extinguishers when they were assigned to firewatch duty....So less crap on the job, but the flip side is that it's harder to ask basic questions.  Guys look at you and you can see them thinking, " Why doesn't he know this already? ".  So if you go back to school, keep your eyes open and soak up everything you can.  That way you don't have to ask simple questions on the job.  Maybe you could plan on finding work with a buddy who's already a welder, and learn the tricks of the trade from them?  I partnered with 2 older welders on my 2nd job, and they both taught me the basics of pipefitting and a bunch of field fabrication skills.  One on one, it was easier to ask them about 'simple' stuff...Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Originally Posted by WelderBCStarted at 35. Higher marks than those who where 19. More focused
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doI went back to trade school at 35.  Going to school with 18-20 year olds was entertaining.  I think I got more value from the $$$ I spent on welding school than many of the younger guys.  Being older and working in a trade, I think I got less crap than the younger guys.  Union/Non-Union doesn't matter.  Most folks assume that older co-workers are less prone to doing stupid things.  It was always the 18 year olds doing idiotic stuff like playing with fire extinguishers when they were assigned to firewatch duty....So less crap on the job, but the flip side is that it's harder to ask basic questions.  Guys look at you and you can see them thinking, " Why doesn't he know this already? ".  So if you go back to school, keep your eyes open and soak up everything you can.  That way you don't have to ask simple questions on the job.  Maybe you could plan on finding work with a buddy who's already a welder, and learn the tricks of the trade from them?  I partnered with 2 older welders on my 2nd job, and they both taught me the basics of pipefitting and a bunch of field fabrication skills.  One on one, it was easier to ask them about 'simple' stuff...
Reply:I started at 42 and figure I will be learning 'till the day I die. I love doing it, so the learning is desired."SOUTHPAW" A wise person learns from another persons mistakes;A smart person learns from their own mistakes;But, a stupid person.............never learns.
Reply:I also started at the age of 39.  Gave up a career in IT to be a welder.Before I could not spell weldor, today I is one.....I am tired of Ketchup, I want the Gravy...
Reply:You guys are old.  LOLMy name's not Jim....
Reply:35 and just started.  I did the 4 yr college thing way back when and no comparison.  I had never even burned a stick till 4 weeks ago and have left all the youngsters in the dust.  I figure at 35 I have another good 30 yrs left in me.  The difference is that you will actually listen to whomever is teaching you and do it that way.  No need to reinvent the wheel.  I chose to do the stuctural/pipe school for 9 months.  I figured I will milk it for all it is worth and so far so good.  You only get out what you put in.
Reply:"Youth and vigor will always lose out to old age and treachery..."  -unknown Originally Posted by BoostinjdmYou guys are old.  LOL
Reply:39 year old Texas male here ( man that sounded like a chat room come on ) lol ! Here I am in class with 18-20 year olds amd I love it , brings back those competitive jucies!! Granted I couldnt win a foot race , but in welding there is no running !! LoL I believe at my (our) age we have the focus to do the school thing without all the distractions !! I have done all the drinking , the girls ,  the drugs for a lifetime now I need some stability for my kids and wife. As for welding school I have long road , because it is a NEVER ending learning process , I just hope I can take it all in !
Reply:Originally Posted by partagasI also started at the age of 39.  Gave up a career in IT to be a welder.Before I could not spell weldor, today I is one.....
Reply:Originally Posted by six35 and just started.  I did the 4 yr college thing way back when and no comparison.  I had never even burned a stick till 4 weeks ago and have left all the youngsters in the dust.  I figure at 35 I have another good 30 yrs left in me.  The difference is that you will actually listen to whomever is teaching you and do it that way.  No need to reinvent the wheel.  I chose to do the stuctural/pipe school for 9 months.  I figured I will milk it for all it is worth and so far so good.  You only get out what you put in.
Reply:nice to know i aint the only one, and yep we got a lotta years ahead of us still, retire at 65 or so, still many decades to go for sure.. just depends on the point of view of whos doing the hiring
Reply:I started after 20 years in carpentry.  I closed my construction business and jumped in the deep end, I didn't have the opportunity for school.  Insurance was the primary thing that closed me down.  I found I picked it up faster than the others. I don't know if it was survivor skills.  I had to pick it up.  I had a family to support.  It could have been, I was already a tradesman and constantly learning new skills so this wasn't much of a leap.  It could have been I already knew how to weld with a stick from welding on my own junk and working around farm and logging equipment most of my adult life.  (they always need welding repair)The hardest thing I had to learn was mig.  I could do it and was building oil field equipment in a shop with it, but I didn't understand it.  In 2007-8 I really set my self to learning why it does what it does.  I kept trying to apply my stick welding knowledge to it and was hitting a brick wall.  Finally, Dan summed it up real well.  It was a different process.  It clicked.  I had assumed it was the same as stick and you just had a really long stick.  I just couldn't get my head wrapped around how that little wire did the job.So to answer you question.  You can do it.  The market is flooded with welders at the moment, but it is the extra you bring to the job...your work ethic, that will stand out.  I would major on learning it all and out working the guy next to you.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_do"Youth and vigor will always lose out to old age and treachery..."  -unknown
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_do"Youth and vigor will always lose out to old age and treachery..."  -unknown
Reply:Fast approaching 39 not 33...Like someone else said, plenty of years before I get to 65...and the way things are going I don't think I'll ever retire.  I'll just gradually coast to a stop..(hopefully a long time past 90...) Originally Posted by jonesghahaha, good one.I'd say at 33 you're still too young.I'm 59 ( I think) , I'll be retiring from baking soon and start welding as a second career.
Reply:Originally Posted by snappy101id die if i had an IT job, sitting on your *** all day is hell, and much less healthy than breathing metal dust and such
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott YoungI started after 20 years in carpentry.  I closed my construction business and jumped in the deep end, I didn't have the opportunity for school.  Insurance was the primary thing that closed me down.  I found I picked it up faster than the others. I don't know if it was survivor skills.  I had to pick it up.  I had a family to support.  It could have been, I was already a tradesman and constantly learning new skills so this wasn't much of a leap.  It could have been I already knew how to weld with a stick from welding on my own junk and working around farm and logging equipment most of my adult life.  (they always need welding repair)The hardest thing I had to learn was mig.  I could do it and was building oil field equipment in a shop with it, but I didn't understand it.  In 2007-8 I really set my self to learning why it does what it does.  I kept trying to apply my stick welding knowledge to it and was hitting a brick wall.  Finally, Dan summed it up real well.  It was a different process.  It clicked.  I had assumed it was the same as stick and you just had a really long stick.  I just couldn't get my head wrapped around how that little wire did the job.So to answer you question.  You can do it.  The market is flooded with welders at the moment, but it is the extra you bring to the job...your work ethic, that will stand out.  I would major on learning it all and out working the guy next to you.
Reply:Originally Posted by jonesghahaha, good one.I'd say at 33 you're still too young.I'm 59 ( I think) , I'll be retiring from baking soon and start welding as a second career.
Reply:Originally Posted by snappy101hmm my course is only 6 months, how many certs u gettin outta it? i get 9My first thought was that at 38 my eyes are not as good as they once were. I was legally blind before I had my lasic surgery, so it wasn't that I could see better before, but now I find that reading glasses are about due when trying to focus on something upclose. I can see at a distance ok. The doctor says it's due to age that your eyes don't focus up close.Anyways, that was my only thought as to what would be different. Otherwise, I think welding is kind of easy. Now, the type of welding would make a big difference. You know, climbing up a scaffold as you build a highrise building, or sitting at a workbench tigging SS boat fittings for a bimini top. Two welding jobs with completely different physical requirement.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain